Plus: Can scaring kids keep them alive, how different is TikTok in China and is it ever too early to put out your Christmas decorations? 🎄
Good morning! Here’s the forecast: ☀️ 14 – 41° in Logan ☀️ 26 – 45° in Salt Lake City ☀️ 33 – 58° in St. George I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Are you a Black Friday shopper? Ever the introvert, I prefer to lock myself in my apartment. Here are the best stories from last week: ——— 🦠 Here are the top 4 omicron symptoms and new study finds: It’s two days shorter, on average, than the previous variant. 🤖 What really happens when you click ‘I’m not a robot’: Which is exactly what a robot would say. 📺 Latter-day Saints in media need better representation: Rebbie Brassfield is still holding onto hope that a practicing Latter-day Saint will write a show about the funny, complex and real lives of church members. 🇮🇷 For Iran, the World Cup opener was more than a game — it was an act of defiance: The Iranian national team stood silent while their anthem played and Iranian soccer fans booed in protest of their government. ⚖️ I voir dired too close to the sun: “Thank you, Juror No. 9. You are dismissed.” 🗳️ The youngest president-elect in Navajo history talks access to water, the Bears Ears debate and keeping young people on the reservation: Buu Nygren is young, full of energy and making history. ——— Also, for those of you who are taking full advantage of today’s deals, we have some shopping guides for you. 🎁 Advent calendars: If you like something, there’s a calendar that heralds it: Lois Collins rounded up the best advent calendars from $30 to $3,500 for whatever your passion. 🎅🏼 Santa needs help: The Deseret News 2022 holiday gift guide: Fun toys for kids from ages one to 92. 😱 4 ways to avoid Black Friday scams: When there is money to be made, there are also unsavory scammers lurking in the shadows. ——— Also on our minds: Can scaring kids keep them alive, how different is TikTok in China and is it ever too early to put out your Christmas decorations? I think not. |
| What will it take to check Utah’s 19% chronic absenteeism rate in public schools? |
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| | In the past decade, the rate of students who are chronically absent from school has almost doubled. Regularly absent kids are less likely to obtain higher levels of education, more likely to smoke, less likely to exercise and more likely to have poor health outcomes. By the numbers: Nearly one-fifth (19%) of Utah students are chronically absent. Between 2017 to 2020, absenteeism increased from 11% to 19%. Kindergarteners are more frequently absent than other grades at a rate of 21%. Only 1% of parents request half-day kindergarten. The Utah State Board of Education is asking lawmakers for $53.6 million to offer more full-day kindergarten classes. | In addition to the shortages Utahns are facing with baby formula, toilet paper and Adderall, we are also facing a massive shortage of mental health professionals. According to Utah’s Health Resources and Services Administration, there is a shortage of qualified professionals in each of the state’s 29 counties. All across the nation, counselors have significant waitlists. For example, over the summer, Massachusetts General Hospital reported that 880 patients were waiting to be seen for psychiatric services. Jacob Hess explains the mental health industry is looking for creative solutions to get life-saving healthcare into communities. He suggests instead of attempting to squeeze everyone into a therapist’s office, that helping people recognize the natural support systems around us could provide community and care. How can you help? Read more here. | FROM OUR SPONSOR UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Festival offers biggest sale of the year! Join the Utah Shakespeare Festival for their biggest sale of the year! Take advantage of the deal and receive $10 off every ticket by visiting bard.org/cyber or by calling the festival ticket office at 1-800-PLAYTIX. This Cyber Monday sale is only available on Nov. 28. | Health: Trauma drama: Can scaring kids to death keep them alive? (Deseret News) One year since omicron: What have we learned? (Deseret News) Holidays: Opinion: What are your politicians grateful for this season? (Deseret News) Should you put up Christmas decorations before or after Thanksgiving? (Deseret News) Technology: Is there a difference between TikTok in the U.S. and China? A social media analyst compares it to opium and spinach (Deseret News) The Utah companies behind the James Webb Space Telescope (Utah Business) Business and Economy: Is Black Friday unethical? (Deseret News) Jobless Claims Jump by 17K (U.S. News) Amazon Faces Black Friday Protests, Strikes in 40 Countries (Bloomberg🔒) Faith: The history of the hymn ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ (Deseret News) Wasatch Front: Utah's largest resource center for homeless men urgently needs coats (KSL-TV) The West: One crop uses more than half of Utah’s water. Here’s why (Salt Lake Tribune🔒) Sports: The world is dragged kicking and screaming to Qatar (Deseret News) BYU has had mixed results vs. Pac-12 teams during independence era, finish 12-year run at Stanford (Deseret News) A man of mystery: Bogdanovic remains secretive figure to former Jazz teammates (KSL) Zach Wilson benching shouldn’t come as a surprise (Deseret News) |
That's all for today. Check your inbox tomorrow morning for more news from the Beehive State and beyond! 🐝 If you have any feedback for us or on Utah Today, reply directly to this email or email newsletters@deseretnews.com. — Kathleen |
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